July 25, 2024
Take the train to Sölvesborg. In Kristianstad, meet my travel companion. Walk along the guest harbor. Generate poetry in the spinning poetry generator in Fyra Årstiders Park by the guest harbor. Talk to someone who works with the flower beds, the park will be made easier to maintain. Continue to the pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Sölvesborgsviken, opened in 2013, which is one of the longest pedestrian and bicycle bridges in Europe. Buy Hölje ice cream at the bridge. Eat it while we walk back and forth across the bridge. According to CNN, one of the 11 most spectacular bridges in the world (2016), especially when it is illuminated. Now only the sun shines on it.

When back we pass boules courts, discuss boules courts with one of the local boules club. Then we continue on the foot/cycle path to the castle ruin. The ruins are located on a hill overlooking Sölvesborgsviken. The castle was built during the Middle Ages, uncertain when. It may have been during the time of King Erik Menved (1286–1319) that the castle was expanded to its full size. The castle fell in 1564 during the Nordic Seven Years' War. The Danish commander let the castle burn down so as not to fall into the hands of the Swedes. Parts were used as building materials. In the 1940s, what was left was restored. In front of the stairs up is a model of what the castle looked like. Nearby are today's buildings. We walk around the ruins.

Go into the city center to St. Nicholas' Church. A funeral is taking place inside. Waiting and walking around outside. There is a runestone from the 9th century outside the tower:
Vadi made the runes after his son Asmund.

The funeral is over. Inside the armory is another runestone dated to between 520 and 700 AD, the Stentoftastone with a curse. Anyone who breaks the memorial is punished with death. Otherwise, there are different interpretations of the runic text.

The church is characterized by the frescoes from the 15th century. The altarpiece is from the early 17th century. The pulpit is contemporary with the altarpiece. A triumphal crucifix from the 1410s hangs on the ceiling.

We go to restaurant Blåregn and have lunch before taking the train home.

Map